Crown closure lining machine



May 25, 1948. D. L. SHANKLIN EIAL 2,

CROWN CLOSURE LINING MACHINE Filed Oct. 21', 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 3' INVEN+EIRSI Dunbar L. Shank/In Wis-hard P. Stokes y 1948- D. 1.. SHANKLIN ETAL 2,442,179

' CROWN CLOSURE LINING MACHINE Filed Oct. 21, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 W M Tlgli INVEN+EI RS:

I T l g l E Dunbar L. shill/i0 flit/00rd P. Stoke:

1948. D. L. SHANKLIN EFAL 2,442,179

I CROWN CLOSURE LINING MACHINE I Filed Oct. 21, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 v I 6 a k 62 *3 1 7 1 Q .39 5a I? INVEN-I'URS:

Y Dunbar L. Shank/In Richard P. States y 1943- D. L. SHANVKLIN ETAL 2,442,179

cnovm CLOSURE LINING MACHINE Filed Oct. 21, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 do if INVEN+ :1 RS:

- Dunbar L. Shank/in Richard P. Stokes r ms May 25, 1948 CROWN CLOSURE LINING MACHINE Dunbar L. Shanklin, Winchester, and Richard P.

Stokes, Maiden, Mass assignors to Dewey and.

Almy Chemical Company, North Cambridge, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 21, 1942, Serial No. 462,802

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates matic machine for lining skirted closures and more particularly bottle crowns and caps according to the process claimed in the patent to Charles H. Egan, No. 1,956,012.

to a high speed, auto- The function of the machine is to feed unlined I crowns beneath nozzles which inject a liquid composition into the crowns, spin the crowns until the liquid composition has been banked against the vertical crown walls and then pass the crowns on to the belt of a drying apparatus where the liquid is evaporated from the composition and the composition is dried to form a distortable rubber-like seal which effectually closes a. glass container in an hermetic manner. 4

The objects of the invention are to produce a machine capable of handling large numbers of crowns in a rapid and effective manner, perform the lining operations automatically, produce a machine which will not stop or be placed out of order if the sealing compound accidentally misses a crown and squirts into the machine parts, and produce a machine which will line crowns in a uniform manner to maintain close tolerances. These. and other objects will become apparent from the specificationand from the drawings in which:

- Figures 1 and 2 are sectional views of a crown before and after the lining operation;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the complete crown lining apparatus, the crown liningmachine thereof being partly in section on the line 3-3 of Figure 5;

,Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the nozzle operating means:

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the crown lining machine, the view beingtaken from the right of Figure 3 and being partly in section on the line 55 thereof; I

Figure 6 is aview similar to Figure 5 showing. the mounting of the feed beam;

Figure 7 is a plan view of Figure 5 partly broken away and partly in section on the line 'l'l thereof;

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially on the line 88 of Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a plan view of a portion of Figure 8;

Figures 10 and 11 are vertical sections taken on .the lines |il l0 and ll-'-ll respectively of Fig- Figure 14 is an enlarged vertical section similar to Figure 8 showing'the initial operation of the-crown lining machine;

Figure 15 is a horizontal section taken on the line I5-I5 of Figure 14;

Figure 16 and 17 are vertical sections taken on the lines l6l6 and "-11 respectively of Figure 14;

Figures 18 and 19 are views similar to Figure 14 but showing subsequentoperations; and

Figure 20 is a vertical section taken on the line 20-20 of Figure 19.

General organization Figure 1 of the drawings shows an unlined crown C such as is used to cap a container. .It comprises a domed portion a which terminates atits open endin a flange or skirt b. Figure 2 shows the crown C after lining, an operation in which the lining compound, indicated at d, is spread thinly over the central part of the portion a and banked high against the side walls, thus providing a sealing mass of considerable thickness where contact is made with the open end of the container.

The machine for applying the lining compound comprises a table-like casting having a'base 3|, side members 32 and a top or table 33. The crowns C are fed to the machine from a crown sorting and feeding mechanism of any convenao tional type. This mechanism, indicated at A in tion to provide a receiving chamber 46 into which the crowns are discharged from the chute 34 and a channel 41 through which the crowns are moved forward by the feed slide 35. The receiving chamber '46 is formed, in part, byan undercut wall 48 which is curved as shown in Figure 14. The feed slides 35 move the crowns forward to rotary chucks 36. These chucks rotate the crowns While the compound d is squirted into them from nozzles N. When the crowns have been lined they are stripped from the chucks and moved forward through ways or tracks 38 by stripper fingers 39 too, group of distributing guides 40. by which they are placed on the conveyor belt 4i and carried to the dryer (see particularly Figures '7 to 11 inclusive).

For clarity of description, the individual functions of the machine and the means by which these functions are achieved will be separately described.

Crown delivery The crowns are delivered to each chuck by a chute 84 and descend to lining position when released by the escapement E. The escapement asand rear stop pins 2 and 8 respectively, an operating arm 5I. and a locking arm 52, all being fixed on a shaft 58 which extends across the chute 84 (Figures3, '1, 8, 14, 16, 18 and 19) The assembly is biased by a spring 54, which normally pulls the escapement into the position shown in Figures 18 and 19. A pin 5 carried by each of the operating arms 5| engages the under side of its corresponding chute 84 (Fig. '14) to limit the movement of 3 the escapements, and, consequently, of the rocker 84. Then thesprings'fl are compressed as the I sembly comprises a rocker arm 58 having front arms 58, in one direction, while an adjustable abutment screw 8 adapted to be engaged by the latch arm 52 limits the movement in the other direction of the rocker arms 58, as shown in Figures 18 and 19. A manually operable latch mechanism is provided for locking each escapement to 1 stop the feed of each separate line of crowns. The latch comprises a shaft 55 which also extends across the chute 3-4 and which carries a square I block 56 arranged to bear against a leaf spring 51 (Figures 8, 14, 16 and 18). The latch 58 carries an operating handle 58. and an adjustable abutmentscrew 58. When the handle 59 is lifted,

spring 51, working against the block 56, snaps the shaft 55 through 98 and causes the abutment screw 68 to engage the locking arm 52. This Shaft 10 (Figures 3 and 5) carries two eccen tries II and I2. These actuate rocker arms 18-14 through eccentric straps -18 pivoted to I the arms at IT-I8. Pins |888 attached to the main frame form the fulcrum points for the arms.

the surface of the table. 88 which forms the top of the main frame. Feed beam 82 carries the operating mechanisms for the several. escapements, which comprise'a series of plungers88,

slidably mounted in brackets 8| secured to the feed beam. Each plunger 88 is urged towards the operating arm 5| of its corresponding escapement by a spring 92, the movement of each plunger, so caused, being limited by a nut 88 in threaded engagement with a reduced rear portion thereof (Figures 8, 14, 18 and 19). A feed slide. 85 (Figures 3, 8, 14 and 15) is attached to the feed beam 82 opposite each chuck and in line with its center. Feed slides 85-85 are capable only, of delivering crowns fromv the chutes 84 to the chucks 88. The removal of the lined crowns from the chucks 88 is performed by the stripper fingers 88 which extend parallel to the line of chucks a short distance in advance of the feed slides 85. Fingers 88 are mounted at the ends of arms 4 i which also are attached to the feed beam 82.

The feed operation is as follows. when the handles 58' are in the position shown in Figures i The free ends of the rocker arms are connected bylinks 8| with afeed beam 82 (Figure-5, 6 and 'I) which is mounted in ways 88 (Figures 6 and 7) in such a manner that it may reciprocate across feed beam 82 advances further. Rotation of the rocker arm 58 releases thelowermost crown C shown stopped by the pin 2 in Figures 18 and 19,

whfle pin 8 stops crown (3 (Figure 14). Crown 0 now slides into the position shown in Figure 14. As the crown descends to this position, the

forward portion of its skirt 11 engages the wall.

48 of the receiver 45 which forces the crown to settle down onto the top of the feed slide 85. The radius of curvature of a bottle crown is 5 inches. Hence, in falling on to a flat surface,

crowns rock badly. To prevent this, each slide .85 is slotted as shown at (see particularly Figures 14-17 inclusive) to give the crown a twopoint support. In addition, dam-ping magnets 84 are inserted in the table directly beneath the receiving chambers. The slot in the slide 85 also prevents shorting of the magnetic field. As a result of the combined effect of the curvature of the receiving chambers, the two point support provided by the feed slides 85 and the damping efi'ect provided by the magnets 84, the crowns, despite their curvature, come to rest at once.

The feed slide 85'now starts its backward stroke from the position shown in Figure 14. The crown, resting on the slide. 85 moves backwards with the slide, but is stopped when it engages the front face of the chute 84 while the slide continues to be retracted beneath the crown until it reaches the position shown in Figure 18. Just before the slide reaches the end of its reverse stroke, the crown drops off the slide and occupies the position shown inFigures 18and 19 just above the magnet 84'. Meanwhile, the backing away of plunger 88 allows the biasing spring 54 to snap the escapement. .mechanism into the position shown in Figures 18 and 19 and thus prevent further discharge of the crowns from the chute until after the feed slide 85 has again been advanced toits forward position. Note that themagnets 84 are-not flush with but are sunk slightly (3%") below the table top. This depression forms a ring seat for the crown which thus is'steadied by the circularline of support and the pull of the magnet. Chucks and chuck drive ried on a spindle I82 (Figs. 3, 5, 8, 14, 18 and 18) which is provided throughout its length with an axial bore I88 that is aligned with axial'bore III and counterbore I88 of the chuck. Each spindle is mounted in ball bearings I84 (Figure .8) which are fastened in the spindle beam I88. Each spindle l82- enters vacuum chest I88. through sleeve bearings I81; The chest I88 which acts as a spilled compound sump. is provided with cleanout plugs 28 (Figures 5 and 8) and a removable cover 28,'shown im-Figures'a and 8.- Rods I88 (Figure 5) extending between the table top 88 and the chest I88 form guides on which the beam I85 is mounted and along which it reciprocates vertically. The vertical motion of the spindle beam I85 is derived from the cams I03 and H (Figures 3 and carried on shaft II2. Each cam works against a cam follower assembly which comprises a cam follower II3 carried by a spring biased arm I I4 pivoted on the main frame at 'II5 (Figure 3) and attached at IIB to the adjustable beampush rods I I1. One of the biasing springs is shown at I (Figure 3). beam I05, and, consequently, all of the chucks 35, will rise and fall. Each spindle bears a vertically movable gear I23 (Figures 3, 5 and 8) which meshes with fixed gears I2I. The gears As shaft II2 revolves, the spindle I20 are driven by a gear I22"meshing with at least one of the gears I2i and carried on the shaft I23 which is journaled in a special extension I24 ofthe vacuum chest I". The lower end of shaft I23 bears a-bevel pinion I25, which meshes with the bevel gear I25 carried on the shaft 10. The shaft 13 (Figures 3 and 5) is.

driven by gears 22 from the shaft II2 which is itself driven by a motor M through a chain 23 and a sprocket 24 carried by shaft II2.

The vertical motion of the chucks 35 is in timed relation to the movement of the feed slides 35. As shown in Figures 14, 15 and 18 the' stripper fingers 39, which reciprocate with the feed slides pass, on their return or rearward strokes. through annular grooves 5. cut in the. chucks 35 because the chucks are in their upper 33, while the feed slides 35 push the next crowns through the channels 41 and onto the chuck faces. Magnets 94' and 94" (similar to the magnets 94 previously described) are provided, re-

spectively, to stabilize the crowns as they pass through the channels 41 and as they are received in the delivery ways 38.

The crowns are pushed nearly to their final positions on the chucks by the feed slides. They are guided into final position by the vertical walls of the counterbores IIIII, Each crown is seated on the circular edge formed at the junction of the counterbore I00 andthe axial bore IOI, and when seated, shuts off the flow of air into the chuck.

The nozzles N differ but slightly from nozzles used on can end lining machines. Each consists of a stainless steel body I30 (see particularly Figure 12) having a replaceable nose piece "I, a needle I32 and a spring barrel I33. A spring I34 bears against a collar supported by a shoulder on the needle and normally urges the needle against a ground seat in the nose piece. Lining compound is prevented from entering the spring housing by the diaphragm I35. The immediate supply of lining compound is stored in the tank I35 (Figure 5) and delivered through a tube 25, to the manifold I31 and from the manifold through tubes I! to the nozzles N by a pneumatic head of a few pounds derived from'the compressor I38. Manifold I3! is supported by brackets I3 (Figures 3, 5, 7, 8 and 12) secured to a cross rail l9 which is itself adjustably supported by brackets I53 and I80 secured to opposite sides of the table 30. When the needle I32 is-raised in the nozzle N, a stream of compound is shot downwardly. With the pneumatic head and diameter of the orifice in the nose piece I3I fixed, the quantity of compound which the nozzle delivers is controlled by thelift of the needle. Adjustment of needle lift is secured by means of handwheels I43, I which are in threaded engagement with needle pull rods I42,'the upper handwheels I4I serving merely as lock nuts, while the lower handwheels I40 make the actual adjustment.

Individual lock-out A slide rod I43 on the needle lift bar I44 (Figures 3, 5, 8, 12 and 13) which is slidably mounted in lift bar I44 beneath cover plates I44 operates a number of latches I45. Latches I45 are provided with apertures I44 through which the needle pull rods I42 pass, The apertures I45 are keyhole shaped so that they clear the needle pull rods I42 but engage the bottom face e of the needle adjusting handwheels I40 -when the latches I45 are in their operating positions shown most clearly in Figures 12 and 13. Each of the latches 145 is provided with an upstanding handle I41 which is received between the arms of a fork I43 secured to the slide rod I43. Handles I41 carry spring pressed balls I43 (Figure 12) which are adapted to engage either one of two notches 9 formed in a portion of the needle lift bar I44. The notches g are spaced to limit the movement of the latch to its operative and inoperative positions. When eitherhandle I55 of the slide rod I43 is moved toward the right in Figures 5, 12 and 13, the enlarged portions of the apertures I45 of the latches I45 then clear the shank portions 1 of the adjusting handwheels I4. and all of the needles are then rendered inoperative. However, any one of the latches may be actuated independently to render its corresponding needle operative or inoperative by manipulation of one of the handles I41. For example, in Figure 5, the handle I4I' is shown in position to render the latch I45 inoperative while the remainder of the latches are in their operative positions.

The vertical movement of the needle lift bar I44 (Figures 4 and 5) is secured by motion derived from cams I55 and l58 mounted on the opposite outboard ends of the shaft- II2. The cam motion is transmitted through cam followers! and", and connecting rods Iz.and I3 to the beam push rods I51 and I58 which are guided for vertical movement in sleeves carried by the brackets I59 and IGII previously referred to. Springs, surrounding the push rods and. mounted between the table 30 and a collar I4 on the rods urge the cam followers 9 and Hi into continuous contact with their respective cams. When the shaft II2 revolves, the needle beam I44 is raised and lowered in timed relation to the other operations of the machine.

As previously explained, the crowns, when seated on the chucks 36, form ,an effectual seal which prevents the passage of air through the chucks 35 and the chuck spindles I02. By connecting a vacuum pump P with the vacuum chest I05 by means of a tube I65 (Figures 3, 5, and 8) a continuous current of air ispulled through the chucks. Thus when a crown ismoved onto the face of a chuck it is pulledv into position in the counterbore by the vacuum which is created.

The needles I32 and chucks 35 lift-practically at the same moment and just before the chuck and the crown which it holds, reaches its top '75 raised position (Figure 18) after the flow of comp und stops. The rotary speed of the chuck is set to create a centrifugal iorce greater than the yield value of the lining composition so that the compound squirted into. the center or the crown is banked against its vertical walls. The crosssection or a lined crown (Figure 2) shows the type of lining which is secured, by this operation. The entire inner surface or the crown is covered with compound which is materially thinner in the center, or non-sealing portion, and thicker at the edgw where a mass of sealing material is required to form a plastic seat for the open end of a bottle or other container.

After the lining has been given the form shown fin Figure 2, the chuck falls, the feed slides 35 and stripper fingers 38 begin to advance and the machine begins a second cycle of operation. As the crowns are pushed oil. the chucks they enter ing their flanges together, or iamming in the tracks 38.

The inner ends of the distributing guides are pivoted at I15 to cross members 24 (Figures 3, 17, 8, 9 and 11) to swing horizontally through arcs (from the full line to the broken line positions in Figure 7) controlled by a cam I18 loosely mounted on the shaft H2 (Figures 3, 5 and 7), and

driven from the shait by a train of gears indicated at 2 I. The motion is transmitted from the cam "-6 to the distributing guides 40 through a cam follower I" carried by an arm 418 which is pivoted at I19 to the base of the machine. The

free end of the arm I18 is connected by a link I80 with one end of an arm 'I8I, the other endor which is secured to the lower end of a vertical rocker shaft I82. The upper end oi the rocker shaft carries an arm I83 (Figures 3 and 7) which is pivotally connected to one end of a cross mem- ;ber I84 to which the distributing guides III are pivotally connected (see also Figures 8 and 9). .The other end of the cross member I 84 is pivotally connected to an arm I" equal in length to arm I83, and pivotally connected to the table 30. As shown in Figure 7, cam I16 is designed to move the distributor arms step-wise, allowing them to dwell momentarily as each crown drops onto the moving belt. A steep contour at one place in the cam causes a quick return swing of the distributing guides- The return swing takes the same length oi'time as an advancing step, so that, as the cam revolves, crowns being delivered at the end of the guides cover substantially the full surface of the conveyor belt 4| (Figure '7) where the broken line positions indicate the successive delivery points of the crowns which are dropped in one sweep of the distributing guides. The full line position indicates the first crown dropped in the following sweep. The belt ll passes through a conventional can end lining tunnel dryer (not shown) where the liquid content of the lining compound is evaporated.

Although the machine has been described-as "a crown lining machine." and crowns of the familiar type have been illustrated, it is obvious that the machine is equally well adapted to the lining of skirted container closures of any type and we intend that the word crown as used in 8 the specification and claims shall include skirted ,supported by brackets I10 secured to the table .38 (see also Figures 3, '7, 8 and 9). A floating top brake Il'I, urged towards the table by a spring I12, prevents the crowns from overriding, lock-.

closures generally.

- We claim:

1. In a crown lining machine, the combination or a hollow spindle mounted ior rotation on a vertical axis, a chuck mounted on the upper end H ofsaid spindle and having an annular crownseating surface surrounding a central bore in,

alignment with the bore of {said spindle, and

a compound-applying nozzle mounted above said chuck and being positioned to discharge a'stream of compound substantially along the axis oi said spindle so that said compound will be discharged into the bore of said spindle in crown on said chuck. I

2. In a crown lining machine the combination according to claim 1 and including vacuum producing means connected to the lower end of said spindle.

3. In a crown lining machine, the combination according to claim 1 and including a sump connected to the lower end of said spindle for receiving lining compound discharged-into said spindle.

4. In a crown lining machine, the combination according to claim 1 and including a sump conthe absence of a nected to the lower end of said spindle for receiv- 'ing compound discharged into said spindle,

vacuum producing means, and a connection from said sump to said vacuum producing means for maintaining said sump. and spindle under vacuum.

5. In a crown lining machine, the combination alignment with the bore of said spindle, a vacuum chamber surrounding the lower end of said spindle, means for maintaining a vacuum in said chamber, a substantially vacuum-tight seal between said chamberand said spindle, and means.

of a horizontal beam mounted for reciprocation in a vertical direction, a plurality of hollow spindles joumaled on said beam for rotation about vertical axes but being restrained against axial movement with respect to said'beam, a plurality of chucks mounted on the upper ends of said spindles, each chuck having an annular crown-seating surface surrounding a central bore in alignment with the bore of the mounting spindle, a vacuum chest positioned below said spindles with the lower ends of said spindles extending into said chest through openings formed therein, means for maintaining a vacuum in said chest means providing a substantially vacuum-tight seal between each spindle and said chest in each of said openings to permit rotation and axial reciprocation g} of said spindles, and means i'orvertically reciprocating said horizontal beam from a crown-loading position to a crownfllling position and vice versa.

'1. In a crown lining machine, the combination according to claim 1 and including a, chamber surrounding the lower end oi said spindle, means for maintaining a vacuum in said chamber, a substantially vacuum-tight seal between said chamber and said spindle, and means for reciprocating said spindle along its axis while maintaining connection with said vacuum chamber.

8. In a crown lining machine, the combination according to claim 6 and including a compoundapplying nozzle mounted above each of said chucks and being positioned to discharge a stream of compound substantially along the axis of the supporting spindle of the chuck so that said compound will be discharged into said vacuum chest in the absence or a crown on any chuck.

DUNBAR L. SHANKIJN.

RICHARD P. STOKES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Lindemeyr Dec. 3, 1898 Number Number Gerlitzki Dec. 2, 1941 

